Sensor control

ABSTRACT

An apparatus can include a left optical trackpad that, responsive to object sensing, outputs a left optical trackpad signal; a right optical trackpad that, responsive to object sensing, outputs a right optical trackpad signal; assignment circuitry that assigns a status to the optical trackpads that is a right hand dominant status or a left hand dominant status; and control circuitry that outputs one or more commands based at least in part on the status and at least one of the right optical trackpad signal and the left optical trackpad signal.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of a U.S. patent application havingSer. No. 12/943,777, filed 10 Nov. 2010, which is incorporated byreference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to techniques forcontrolling sensors.

BACKGROUND

A user of computer keyboard may be right hand dominant, left handdominant or ambidextrous. Various keyboards are used in conjunction withother input devices such as a mouse, which is typically placed to theright of the keyboard or the left of the keyboard. Newer types of inputdevices are emerging, some of which are fixed (e.g., integrated into akeyboard). As described herein, various technologies provide forenhanced control of input device that are associated with a keyboard.

SUMMARY

An apparatus includes sensors configured to sense optical information,assignment circuitry configured to assign a dominant status to one ofthe sensors and a nondominant status to another one of the sensors andcontrol circuitry configured to output one or more commands based onsensed optical information and status. Various other apparatuses,systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the described implementations can be morereadily understood by reference to the following description taken inconjunction with examples of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a series of diagrams of examples of a system, optional inputs,circuitry, and a method;

FIG. 2 is a series of diagrams of examples of a system, sensorinformation and a method;

FIG. 3 is a series of diagrams of examples of a system, sensorinformation and a method;

FIG. 4 is a series of diagrams of examples of a system and a method;

FIG. 5 is a series of diagrams of examples of a device, optional inputsand circuitry;

FIG. 6 is a series of diagrams of examples of arrangements, circuitry,modules and character sets;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an example of a graphical user interface; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram of an example of a machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description includes the best mode presently contemplatedfor practicing the described implementations. This description is not tobe taken in a limiting sense, but rather is made merely for the purposeof describing the general principles of the implementations. The scopeof the invention should be ascertained with reference to the issuedclaims.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a system 110 that includes keys 112 andsensors 120. As shown, the system 110 is arranged as a computer keyboardwith various character keys 112 and two sensors 120. Each of the sensors120 may be configured as a so-called “optical trackpad”. An opticaltrackpad is generally a sensor shaped as a “pad” configured to track anobject using optical components. As described herein, tracking caninclude, for example, detecting presence or an object or objects,absence of an object or objects or motion of an object or objects.

An approximate diagram of an example of the sensor 120 is shown inFIG. 1. In the example of FIG. 1, the sensor 120 includes a surface 122,an emitter 124, a detector 126, and circuitry 128, which may beconfigured to output sensed information in the form of a digital array129. For example, an object may be a finger or other object with surfaceindicia (e.g., consider fingerprint ridges, striations, or otherindicia). When such an object contacts or comes into close proximity tothe surface 122, surface indicia of the object are illuminated byradiation emitted by the emitter 124 (e.g., an emitting diode).Radiation reflected by the object (e.g., optionally due toimpedance/index of refraction changes of a boundary of the surface 122)is detected by the detector 126. The detector 126 may be a CCD or othertype of detector.

With respect to the circuitry 140, as described herein, sensor circuitry142 may include a sensor, sensors or circuitry configured to receiveinformation directly or indirectly from one or more sensors. Sensorcircuitry 142 may include a multiplexer configurable to receiveinformation from one or more sensors (e.g., a left sensor, a rightsensor or both a left sensor and a right sensor). Sensor circuitry 142may include one or more of an amplifier, a filter, or other component(s)for processing information. Sensor circuitry 142 may conform to one ormore communication standards (e.g., bus, wired, wireless, etc.).

As described herein, a sensor or sensor circuitry may operate accordingto one or more algorithms that can output information that correspondsto planar coordinates (e.g., x, y). For example, a sensor or sensorcircuitry may output one or more x, y, Δx, Δy, etc., values. A sensor orsensor circuitry may include a sampling rate such that, for example,values for x, y, Δx, Δy, etc., may be determined with respect to time.

As described herein, assignment circuitry 144 is configured to assignstatus to one or more sensors. For example, status may be “right”,“left”, “dominant”, “nondominant”, “enabled”, “disabled”, “filtered”,“unfiltered”, etc. In the example of FIG. 1, control circuitry 146 isoptionally configured to receive one or more status indicators for oneor more sensors. For example, where one of the sensors 120 is assigned adominant status by the assignment circuitry 144 and the other one of thesensors 120 is assigned a nondominant status by the assignment circuitry144, the control circuitry 146 may respond to sensed information fromone or more of the sensors 120 based at least in part on assignedstatus. As described herein, the assignment circuitry 144 may assignstatus to one or more sensors based at least in part on informationsensed by one or more sensors. In FIG. 1, other circuitry 148 may beconfigured to operate in conjunction with the sensor circuitry 142, theassignment circuitry 144 or the control circuitry 146.

In FIG. 1, a method 150 includes a reception block 152 for receivinginformation, an assignment block 154 for assigning a dominant status anda nondominant status (e.g., optionally by default), an association block156 for associating information from a dominant sensor with an actionand a modification block 158 for modifying the action based oninformation from a nondominant sensor. For example, sweeping a fingerover a right sensor may result in the assignment block 154 assigning theright sensor a dominant status and assigning a left sensor a nondominantstatus. In such an example, subsequent sweeping of a finger over thedominant sensor may cause the association block 156 to associateinformation from the dominant sensor with a pan (or other) action. Whereanother finger is placed over the nondominant sensor, the modificationblock 158 may cause the pan (or other) action to be modified, forexample, by causing selection of a graphical object rendered to adisplay and movement of the selected graphical object based oninformation generated by the sweeping of the finger over the dominantsensor. In other words, a simple sweep over a dominant sensor may pan,for example, an image rendered to a display whereas placement of afinger over a nondominant sensor may select an image rendered to adisplay and the sweep over the dominant sensor move the rendered imageon the display. In another example, simultaneous sweeping of a fingerover the dominant sensor and sweeping of a finger over the nondominantsensor may be associated with a “gesture”, for example, to zoom wherethe amount of zoom is controlled by information sensed by the dominantsensor (e.g., speed of sweep, degree of sweep, etc.).

FIG. 1 also shows various optional input devices 160, including atouchpad 162, a touchscreen 164, a mouse 166 and a microphone 168. Suchdevices may be optionally used in conjunction with one or more of thesensors 120.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a system 210 that includes keys 212 and leftand right optical sensors 220. In the example of FIG. 2, a user's leftindex finger (e.g., an object) sweeps past the left optical sensor. Inresponse, the left optical sensor provides sensor information 230 suchas a signal with respect to time indicative of the sweeping motion ofthe left index finger. For example, the left optical sensor may output asignal that depends on how many fingerprint ridges were detected acrossa particular portion of the sensor's field of view, alternatively, thesignal may depend on tracking one or more ridges or portions thereof. Asshown, the user's right index finger is not in contact with the rightoptical sensor. Accordingly, the right optical sensor provides no signalor other information indicative of absence of an object in the rightoptical sensor's field of view.

FIG. 2 also shows an example of a method 250 that includes a receptionblock 252 for receiving sensor information, an assignment block 254 forassigning status to one or more sensors and an association block 256 forassociating sensed information with an action based at least in part onstatus. For example, where a user sweeps one of her five fingers overthe left optical sensor, the left optical sensor may be assigned adominant status, which may correspond to the user's dominant hand, and,for example, where another user sweeps one of his five fingers over theright optical sensor, the right optical sensor may be assigned adominant status, which may correspond to the user's dominant hand.Accordingly, as described herein, a system with keys and sensors may(e.g., via a simple finger sweep) accommodate a left hand dominant userand accommodate a right hand dominant user.

As described herein, one or more settings may be set that have at leastsome relationship to a sensor or sensed information (e.g., via one ormore of sensor circuitry, assignment circuitry, control circuitry, orother circuitry). In the example of FIG. 2, settings may include one ormore of an enable/disable setting, a sensitivity setting, a filtersetting, an application specific setting, or another setting.

As described herein, an assignment process (e.g., implemented via one ormore of sensor circuitry, assignment circuitry, control circuitry, orother circuitry) may assign status based on a criterion or criteria suchas one or more of a time of use criterion, a duration criterion, adirection criterion, a repetition criterion, a speed criterion, a userselected/defined criterion or another criterion.

As described herein, an association process (e.g., implemented via oneor more of sensor circuitry, assignment circuitry, control circuitry, orother circuitry) may associate sensed information, based at least inpart on status, with an action such as, for example, a scroll action, amove action, a page change action, a back action, a forward action oranother action.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a system 310 that includes keys 312 and leftand right optical sensors 320. In the example of FIG. 3, a user's leftindex finger (e.g., an object) sweeps past the left optical sensor andthe user's right index finger (e.g., an object) taps the right opticalsensor. In response, the left optical sensor provides sensor information330 such as a signal with respect to time indicative of the sweepingmotion of the left index finger and the right optical sensor providessensor information 330 indicative of the tap.

FIG. 3 also shows an example of a method 350 that includes a receptionblock 352 for receiving sensor information, an association block 256 forassociating sensed information from a sensor with a dominant status withan action and a modification block 260 for modifying the action based atleast in part on sensed information from a sensor with a nondominantstatus.

As described herein, a method can include receiving information from anoptical sensor, responsive to receipt of the information, assigning theoptical sensor as a dominant optical sensor and assigning anotheroptical sensor as a nondominant optical sensor and associatinginformation received from the dominant optical sensor with an action andmodifying the action based at least in part on information received fromthe nondominant optical sensor. In such a method, the assigning mayinclude assigning the dominant optical sensor as corresponding todominant handedness of a user. As described herein, receiving a signalmay include receiving a signal corresponding to sweeping of an objectacross the optical sensor. As described herein, reassigning a dominantoptical sensor as a nondominant optical sensor may occur based at leastin part on input from the nondominant optical sensor.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a system 410 that includes keys 412 and leftand right optical sensors 420. In the example of FIG. 4, at a time oft=t₁, a user's left index finger (e.g., an object) sweeps past the leftoptical sensor and, at a time of t=t₁+Δt, a user's right index finger(e.g., an object) sweeps past the right optical sensor.

FIG. 4 also shows an example of a method 460 that covers times t₁ andt₁+Δt. In an enablement block 462, at time t=0, an automatic assignmentfunctionality is enabled (e.g., turned “on”). In a sense block 464, attime t=t₁, a sweeping motion is sensed by a left sensor. In response tothe sensed sweeping action, an assignment block assigns the left sensora dominant status. At a later time, t=t₁+Δt, in a sense block 468, asweeping motion is sensed by a right sensor. In response to the sensedsweeping action, an assignment block 470 assigns the right sensor adominant status (e.g., which re-assigns the left sensor to a nondominantstatus). Accordingly, in such a method a user can change the status ofone or more sensors.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a device 501, some examples of circuitry 590that may be included in the device 501 and some other, optional inputdevices 560. In the example of FIG. 5, the device 501 includes one ormore processors 502 (e.g., cores), memory 504, a keyboard with one ormore sensors 505, a display 506, a power supply 507 and one or morecommunication interfaces 508. As described herein, a communicationinterface may be a wired or a wireless interface. In the example of FIG.5, the memory 504 can include one or more modules such as, for example,a sensor module, a control module, a GUI module and a communicationmodule. Such modules may be provided in the form of instructions, forexample, directly or indirectly executable by the one or more processors502.

The device 501 may include the circuitry 590. In the example of FIG. 5,the circuitry 590 includes reception circuitry 592, assignment circuitry594 and association circuitry 596. Such circuitry may optionally rely onone or more computer-readable media that includes computer-executableinstructions. For example, the reception circuitry 592 may rely on CRM593, the assignment circuitry 594 may rely on CRM 595 and theassociation circuitry 596 may rely on CRM 597. While shown as separateblocks, CRM 593, CRM 595 and CRM 597 may be provided as a package (e.g.,optionally in the form of a single computer-readable storage medium). Asdescribed herein, a computer-readable medium may be a storage device(e.g., a memory card, a storage disk, etc.) and referred to as acomputer-readable storage medium.

As described herein, the device 501 may include or be part of a systemthat includes one or more of a touchpad 562, a touchscreen 564, a mouse566 or a microphone 568. The device 501 may include or be part of asystem that includes a video camera (e.g., a webcam), which may beconfigured to recognize or track user input.

As described herein, one or more computer-readable media can includecomputer-executable instructions to instruct a computer to receive asignal from an optical sensor, responsive to receipt of the signal,assign the optical sensor as a dominant optical sensor and assignanother optical sensor as a nondominant optical sensor, associate inputfrom the dominant optical sensor with an action, associate input fromthe nondominant optical sensor with an action and associate input fromthe dominant optical sensor and input from the nondominant opticalsensor with an action. In such an example, the one or morecomputer-readable media may further include computer-executableinstructions to instruct a computer to reassign the dominant opticalsensor as a nondominant optical sensor based at least in part on inputreceived from the nondominant optical sensor (see, e.g., the examplemethod 460 of FIG. 4).

FIG. 6 shows various examples of arrangements 610, circuitry 670, acompatibility module 675 and character sets 682 and 684. In the variousarrangements 610, a system with keys 612 and sensors 620 may optionallyinclude one or more of an interface 611, a touchpad 662, a touchpad withassociated buttons 663, a hand rest 665, a joystick 667, a communicationcable 613 (e.g., USB or other, optionally configured to supply power), apower supply 615 (e.g., one or more batteries) and a wirelesscommunication interface 617. As indicated, an arrangement may includemore than two optical sensors (see, e.g., lower left examplearrangement).

As described herein, a system may include the circuitry 670, which mayinclude one or more of key circuitry 672, sensor circuitry 674, wirelesscommunication circuitry 676 and bus circuitry 678.

As described herein, a compatibility module may be provided to allow forcompatibility of a system. For example, the compatibility module 675 caninclude operating system (OS) compatibility configuration instructions,character set configuration instructions, input compatibilityconfiguration instructions, preference configuration instructions, etc.

In the example of FIG. 6, the character set 682 includes F, G and V keysand H, J and N keys and left and right optical sensors 620. In thisexample, a left optical sensor is positioned adjacent to at least one ormore of an F key, a G key and a V key and a right optical sensor ispositioned adjacent to at least one or more of an H key, a J key and a Nkey. In the example of one or more additional or other character set684, a left optical sensor is positioned adjacent to three keys and aright optical sensor is positioned adjacent to three keys. As describedherein, one or more optical sensors may be positioned adjacent to one ormore keys and generally at least two keys of a keyboard associated withone or more character sets.

FIG. 7 shows various example graphical user interfaces (GUIs) 710. Asdescribed herein, a device (e.g., the device 501 of FIG. 5) may includecircuitry configured for presentation of one or more GUIs. In theexample of FIG. 7, a GUI may include fixed GUI controls 712,auto-adjusting GUI controls 714, association GUI controls 716,application GUI controls 718 or one or more additional or other GUIcontrols.

As to the fixed GUI controls 712, a device may receive information toselect a “fixed” option that instructs the device to fix a right opticalsensor as dominant, to fix a left optical sensor as dominant or tooptionally assign a first used optical sensor as dominant.

As to the auto-adjusting GUI controls 714, a device may receiveinformation to select an auto-adjusting option that instructs the deviceto assign optical sensor status (e.g., dominant or nondominant) based ona sweep or a code (e.g., tap, sweep, tap). Such a GUI controls 714 mayinclude a double-sweep retention option where upon sensing ofsubstantially simultaneous sweeps, assignment status remains unchanged(e.g., if a right optical sensor was assigned a dominant status, adouble-sweep of both right and left optical sensors would not change thedominant status of the right optical sensor).

As to the associations GUI controls 716, default associations may beset. However, options may exist for receipt of input to associateactions with sensed information. For example, sensed informationindicative of a dominant sweep, a nondominant sweep, a dominant tap, anondominant tap, a dominant sweep and a nondominant tap, a dominantsweep and a nondominant cover, etc., may be associated with one or moreactions, which may be selected, for example, based on user input.

As to the applications GUI controls 718, an option may exist to link oneor more optical sensors, or responses to sensed information, to one ormore applications. In such an example, each application may haveassociations specific to that application. For example, a media playerapplication may include associations such as dominant sweep to the rightcorresponds to a forward media action and a dominant sweep to the leftcorresponds to a rewind media action. In such an example, a cover of anondominant sensor during a sweep may correspond to a fast forward mediaaction or a fast rewind media action. For a game application, variousassociations may be set to allow for enhanced interaction with the gameapplication (e.g., avatar movements, actions, etc.).

As described herein, in a fixed mode of operation, a first sensor usedto move a cursor rendered to a display can be assigned a primary ordominant status. In such an example, another sensor may be assigned amodifier or nondominant status. As described herein, to move a cursor, auser can sweep his finger over an optical sensor where, if the user usesthe right optical sensor first, a status of “right handed” may beestablished and where, if the user uses the left optical sensor first, astatus of “left handed” may be established. Such “first use” may bebased on time of a start-up, resumption from a low power state, etc. Asmentioned, an option may exist for a user to manually set or switch thehandedness, if desired. As described herein, a process of determiningprimary and modifier can enable various uses of one or more inputdevices (e.g., optical sensors or other), including uses such as areaselection, left and right clicks, select gestures, etc. As describedherein, a device can include circuitry to assign a dominant status to asensor where that sensor is a primary sensor and where another sensorwith a nondominant status is a modifier sensor to modify outputassociated with the primary sensor.

In an example of an auto-adjusting assignment mode, a first opticalsensor to be touched in a sweeping motion may be assigned a primary ordominant status. Such a sensor may retain its primary or dominant statusuntil occurrence of a sweeping motion along another optical sensor. If aright optical sensor and a left optical sensor detect sweeping motion,such as during a gesture, then whichever sensor had primary or dominantstatus before the gesture keeps its primary or dominant status. Asmentioned (see, e.g., the GUI 710), a device may be configured to allowa user to optionally manually set handedness (e.g., status) andoptionally disable an auto-detect feature or an auto-adjusting feature.

As described herein, a device can include sensors configured to senseoptical information, assignment circuitry configured to assign adominant status to one of the sensors and a nondominant status toanother one of the sensors and control circuitry configured to outputone or more commands based on sensed optical information and status. Insuch a device, the sensors may include a left sensor and a right sensoroptionally where the dominant status sensor corresponds to a dominanthand of a user. While some examples refer to optical sensors, varioustechniques described herein may optionally be applied to one or moreother types of sensors. For example, sensors positioned akin to thesensors 220, 320, 420 or 620 may be configured to sense capacitiveinformation or one or more other types of information. As to capacitiveinformation, a sensor may include one or more electrodes configured forformation of a virtual capacitor or virtual capacitors (e.g., where ahuman finger forms a virtual capacitor plate). For example, anappropriately timed sweeping action over an electrode array of acapacitive sensor may provide information sufficient for assignment of adominant status to that sensor.

As described herein, a device can include assignment circuitry thatincludes circuitry to assign a dominant status to a sensor based oninformation received from one of two or more sensors. In such anexample, the information received can correspond to a signal generatedby the one of the sensors responsive to an object sweeping across thatsensor (e.g., touching or in close proximity to the sensor) and maycorrespond to an initial session signal generated by the one of two ormore sensors. As described herein, a device can include assignmentcircuitry that includes circuitry to reassign a nondominant status to adominant status based on information received from one of two or moresensors.

In various examples, a keyboard (e.g., a computer keyboard) includes twoor more sensors with, for example, at least two keys adjacent one of thesensors and at least two different keys adjacent another one of thesensors. As shown in the example character set 682 of FIG. 6, at leasttwo keys can include an F key and at least two different keys caninclude a J key.

As described herein, a device can include assignment circuitry thatincludes circuitry to assign a dominant status based on informationassociated with an assignment control of a graphical user interface(GUI).

The term “circuit” or “circuitry” is used in the summary, description,and/or claims. As is well known in the art, the term “circuitry”includes all levels of available integration, e.g., from discrete logiccircuits to the highest level of circuit integration such as VLSI, andincludes programmable logic components programmed to perform thefunctions of an embodiment as well as general-purpose or special-purposeprocessors programmed with instructions to perform those functions. Suchcircuitry may optionally rely on one or more computer-readable mediathat includes computer-executable instructions. As described herein, acomputer-readable medium may be a storage device (e.g., a memory card, astorage disk, etc.) and referred to as a computer-readable storagemedium.

While various examples of circuits or circuitry have been discussed,FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram of an illustrative computer system 800.The system 800 may be a desktop computer system, such as one of theThinkCentre® or ThinkPad® series of personal computers sold by Lenovo(US) Inc. of Morrisville, N.C., or a workstation computer, such as theThinkStation®, which are sold by Lenovo (US) Inc. of Morrisville, N.C.;however, as apparent from the description herein, a satellite, a base, aserver or other machine may include other features or only some of thefeatures of the system 800. As described herein, a device such as thedevice 501 may include at least some of the features of the system 800.

As shown in FIG. 8, the system 800 includes a so-called chipset 810. Achipset refers to a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that aredesigned to work together. Chipsets are usually marketed as a singleproduct (e.g., consider chipsets marketed under the brands INTEL®, AMD®,etc.).

In the example of FIG. 8, the chipset 810 has a particular architecture,which may vary to some extent depending on brand or manufacturer. Thearchitecture of the chipset 810 includes a core and memory control group820 and an I/O controller hub 850 that exchange information (e.g., data,signals, commands, etc.) via, for example, a direct management interfaceor direct media interface (DMI) 842 or a link controller 844. In theexample of FIG. 8, the DMI 842 is a chip-to-chip interface (sometimesreferred to as being a link between a “northbridge” and a“southbridge”).

The core and memory control group 820 include one or more processors 822(e.g., single core or multi-core) and a memory controller hub 826 thatexchange information via a front side bus (FSB) 824. As describedherein, various components of the core and memory control group 820 maybe integrated onto a single processor die, for example, to make a chipthat supplants the conventional “northbridge” style architecture.

The memory controller hub 826 interfaces with memory 840. For example,the memory controller hub 826 may provide support for DDR SDRAM memory(e.g., DDR, DDR2, DDR3, etc.). In general, the memory 840 is a type ofrandom-access memory (RAM). It is often referred to as “system memory”.

The memory controller hub 826 further includes a low-voltagedifferential signaling interface (LVDS) 832. The LVDS 832 may be aso-called LVDS Display Interface (LDI) for support of a display device892 (e.g., a CRT, a flat panel, a projector, etc.). A block 838 includessome examples of technologies that may be supported via the LVDSinterface 832 (e.g., serial digital video, HDMI/DVI, display port). Thememory controller hub 826 also includes one or more PCI-expressinterfaces (PCI-E) 834, for example, for support of discrete graphics836. Discrete graphics using a PCI-E interface has become an alternativeapproach to an accelerated graphics port (AGP). For example, the memorycontroller hub 826 may include a 16-lane (x16) PCI-E port for anexternal PCI-E-based graphics card. A system may include AGP or PCI-Efor support of graphics.

The I/O hub controller 850 includes a variety of interfaces. The exampleof FIG. 8 includes a SATA interface 851, one or more PCI-E interfaces852 (optionally one or more legacy PCI interfaces), one or more USBinterfaces 853, a LAN interface 854 (more generally a networkinterface), a general purpose I/O interface (GPIO) 855, a low-pin count(LPC) interface 870, a power management interface 861, a clock generatorinterface 862, an audio interface 863 (e.g., for speakers 894), a totalcost of operation (TCO) interface 864, a system management bus interface(e.g., a multi-master serial computer bus interface) 865, and a serialperipheral flash memory/controller interface (SPI Flash) 866, which, inthe example of FIG. 8, includes BIOS 868 and boot code 890. With respectto network connections, the I/O hub controller 850 may includeintegrated gigabit Ethernet controller lines multiplexed with a PCI-Einterface port. Other network features may operate independent of aPCI-E interface.

The interfaces of the I/O hub controller 850 provide for communicationwith various devices, networks, etc. For example, the SATA interface 851provides for reading, writing or reading and writing information on oneor more drives 880 such as HDDs, SDDs or a combination thereof. The I/Ohub controller 850 may also include an advanced host controllerinterface (AHCI) to support one or more drives 880. The PCI-E interface852 allows for wireless connections 882 to devices, networks, etc. TheUSB interface 853 provides for input devices 884 such as keyboards (KB),one or more optical sensors (see, e.g., the sensor 120 of FIG. 1), miceand various other devices (e.g., cameras, phones, storage, mediaplayers, etc.). On or more other types of sensors may optionally rely onthe USB interface 853 or another interface (e.g., I²C, etc.).

In the example of FIG. 8, the LPC interface 870 provides for use of oneor more ASICs 871, a trusted platform module (TPM) 872, a super I/O 873,a firmware hub 874, BIOS support 875 as well as various types of memory876 such as ROM 877, Flash 878, and non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) 879. Withrespect to the TPM 872, this module may be in the form of a chip thatcan be used to authenticate software and hardware devices. For example,a TPM may be capable of performing platform authentication and may beused to verify that a system seeking access is the expected system.

The system 800, upon power on, may be configured to execute boot code890 for the BIOS 868, as stored within the SPI Flash 866, and thereafterprocesses data under the control of one or more operating systems andapplication software (e.g., stored in system memory 840). An operatingsystem may be stored in any of a variety of locations and accessed, forexample, according to instructions of the BIOS 868. Again, as describedherein, a satellite, a base, a server or other machine may include feweror more features than shown in the system 800 of FIG. 8.

CONCLUSION

Although examples of methods, devices, systems, etc., have beendescribed in language specific to structural features and/ormethodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matterdefined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to thespecific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features andacts are disclosed as examples of forms of implementing the claimedmethods, devices, systems, etc.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a left optical trackpadthat, responsive to object sensing, outputs a left optical trackpadsignal; a right optical trackpad that, responsive to object sensing,outputs a right optical trackpad signal; assignment circuitry thatassigns a status to the optical trackpads that is a right hand dominantstatus or a left hand dominant status; and control circuitry thatoutputs one or more commands based at least in part on the status and atleast one of the right optical trackpad signal and the left opticaltrackpad signal.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a keyboard. 3.The apparatus of claim 2 comprising at least two keys adjacent to theleft optical trackpad and at least two different keys adjacent to theright optical trackpad.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the at leasttwo keys comprise an F key and wherein the at least two different keyscomprise a J key.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the keyboardcomprises a computer keyboard.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein theassignment circuitry assigns the status based at least in part onreceipt of an optical trackpad assignment signal output by the leftoptical trackpad or the right optical trackpad.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 6 wherein the optical trackpad assignment signal is responsive toobject sensing that senses object sweeping.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the optical trackpad assignment signal is a first opticaltrackpad signal in a series of associated optical trackpad signals. 9.The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first optical trackpad signalcomprises a right optical trackpad signal and wherein the assignmentcircuitry assigns the status as the right hand dominant status.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 9 wherein the series of associated optical trackpadsignals comprises at least one left optical trackpad signal.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 8 wherein the first optical trackpad signal comprisesa left optical trackpad signal and wherein the assignment circuitryassigns the status as the left hand dominant status.
 12. The apparatusof claim 11 wherein the series of associated optical trackpad signalscomprises at least one right optical trackpad signal.
 13. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein the one or more commands comprise one or more cursormovement commands.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising anotheroptical trackpad.
 15. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a keyboard anda joystick that is adjacent to keys of the keyboard.
 16. A methodcomprising: responsive to object sensing via a first optical trackpad,outputting a signal that assigns the first optical trackpad a primarystatus and a second optical trackpad a modifier status; and moving acursor rendered to a display based at least in part on the signal. 17.The method of claim 16 wherein the object sensing comprises sensing anobject sweeping over the first optical trackpad.
 18. The method of claim16 comprising outputting a signal responsive to sensing an objecttapping at least one of the first optical trackpad and the secondoptical trackpad.
 19. The method of claim 18 comprising responsive tothe signal responsive to sensing the object tapping, selecting an itemrendered to a display.
 20. An apparatus comprising: a processor; memoryaccessible by the processor; a display operatively coupled to theprocessor; a keyboard operatively coupled to the processor; opticaltrackpads operatively coupled to the processor wherein the opticaltrackpads comprise a left optical trackpad that, responsive to objectsensing, outputs a left optical trackpad signal and a right opticaltrackpad that, responsive to object sensing, outputs a right opticaltrackpad signal, and wherein the left and right optical trackpadscomprise an assignable status that is a right hand dominant status or aleft hand dominant status; and instructions stored in the memory andexecutable by the processor to output one or more commands based atleast in part on the assignable status and at least one of the rightoptical trackpad signal and the left optical trackpad signal.